A Holiday on Patch Island
by ElectronicYarn
Summary: The first semester at Beacon Academy is over and it's time for the winter holidays. Blake has bravely agreed to join Yang and Ruby on their visit home. There she will have to endure the elements, fend off affectionate beasts, and face the greatest challenge of her life: meeting her girlfriend's father for the first time! Part 1 of the Holidays and Vacations series.
1. Home for the Holidays

_Author's Note: I know the timeframe on this story doesn't exactly match up with canon, but since when has that ever stopped a fanfic writer? I prefer to think that this is the first story in a new Alternate Universe. With that in mind, I proudly present the Beacon's-School-Year-Started-in-the-Fall-and-Everyone-is-Slightly-Older AU! Hmmm. That's not exactly a snappy name. I may have to work on that._

 _This story was written while Volume 4 was airing, and speaking of Volume 4, I should add that the Rose-Xiao Long residence in this story has a slightly different floor plan than what we've seen in canon._

 _This is the Teen and Up version of the story. The Mature version has been posted to Archive of Our Own._

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Home for the Holidays**

Blake absolutely hated the cold. It reminded her of all those chilly nights she'd spent with the White Fang, hiding out in some makeshift shelter. Patch Island was known for its generally mild weather, but it looked like today was going to be an exception. The sun overhead was smothered by a thick layer of clouds, and a biting wind was blowing up a flurry of snow.

Blake was bundled up in a winter headband, a thick scarf, her heaviest coat, and Yang's coat too, but she could still feel the cold stinging her face and chilling her cat ears through the thin fabric of her bow. She really wished she had a proper winter hat to wear, but it was difficult to find one that didn't hurt her ears.

Yang was walking alongside Blake with a far too cheery look on her face. Against all sense and logic, she was dressed in her usual short sleeved jacket, crop top, and short shorts. Blake dearly cared for her girlfriend, but Yang's ability to use her semblance to keep warm was just disgusting. On a day like today, Blake would've even settled for having Ruby's semblance. Ruby herself had already used it to zip on ahead.

As eager as Blake was to get in out of the cold, the closer she got to Yang and Ruby's house, the more a growing sense of dread filled her. She knew that as soon as she set foot inside that house, she'd be face-to-face with Yang's father for the first time ever. It seemed like such a silly, mundane thing to worry about, especially after all that she'd seen and done, but Blake couldn't deny how nervous she was.

Blake was starting to doubt that coming to Patch with Yang and Ruby had been a good idea, although she had no idea what she would've done otherwise. The first semester at Beacon was over, and the school, including its dorms and cafeteria, was closed this week. All of the students were expected to go home for the winter holidays. The problem was that Blake didn't have a home anymore. She'd turned her back on it and her family when she'd left the White Fang.

Blake had been contemplating staying with Sun when Yang had offhandedly asked her about her plans for the holidays. When Blake had explained the situation, Yang had immediately declared that Blake was coming home with her. There had been no room for debate, and when Ruby had added her enthusiastic agreement, no escape either. It wasn't until Blake was on the airship to Patch that she realized what she'd agreed to.

Yang's voice suddenly interrupted Blake's brooding thoughts. "You don't have to wear the bow, you know. Dad's not racist."

Blake looked over at Yang and gave her a small smile. She said, "I'm sure your father is a good person. But everyone's a little racist, especially before they get to know you."

"Not everyone," Yang said. "I mean, I wasn't."

Blake didn't respond.

Yang had obviously been expecting Blake to agree with her. She worriedly asked, "I wasn't, was I?"

Blake really didn't want to answer that question, but unfortunately, Yang was far too good at reading her. Her silence was answer enough. Yang looked devastated.

Blake finally said, "You weren't malicious about it."

"What does that mean?" Yang asked.

"It took me a week to get you to stop fawning over my ears," Blake said.

"But they're so cute!" Yang said.

Blake had to fight off a blush. She said, "The point is, once people know you're a faunus, they treat you differently. Intentionally or not. I want your father to know me as a person. Not as a faunus."

"I get it, I guess," Yang said. "I'm, uh, sorry if I did something wrong."

"It's okay," Blake said. "I know you were just trying to be affectionate. And I'm…glad you think my ears are cute."

"Awww," Yang cooed. She wrapped her arm around Blake's shoulders. Blake sighed happily and leaned in closer. Even through the coats, she could feel Yang's warmth. It was so very inviting.

Suddenly, Yang started snickering.

"What is it?" Blake asked, despite her gut telling her that she'd regret it.

"I was _fawning_ over your ears? Get it?" Yang asked.

Blake bit the inside of her cheek. Even if it was funny, laughing at a pun would set a dangerous precedent. She rolled her eyes and pushed Yang away.

"Ah come on, Blakey! You're the one who said it!"

Blake finally saw Yang's house up ahead through the snow. All the lights were on in the windows, but despite the house's welcoming appearance, Blake's stomach was tying itself in knots. As eager as Blake was to get inside, she really wasn't ready to encounter Yang's father. There were just too many unknowns.

Ruby was standing outside the house, apparently waiting for Yang and Blake. Her heavy coat and oversized wool cap made her look distinctly like a big, red marshmallow. She was bouncing up and down to keep warm and had her hands shoved into her coat pockets. Blake wasn't sure why Ruby hadn't just gone inside, but she was sure there was a reason that made sense in Ruby's head.

Upon spotting Yang and Blake, Ruby jogged over to them. "There you guys are!" she said. "What took you so long? It's cold out here!"

"Pff. It's not that cold," Yang scoffed.

Blake glared at Yang dangerously, but Yang brushed it off with a laugh.

Ruby said to Blake, "I can't wait for you to meet Dad! He's really going to like you."

"I hope so," Blake said. "Your father knows I'm coming to visit, right?"

Yang answered for Ruby, "Yeah. We told him."

Blake nodded. She wouldn't have put it past Yang to forget to tell her father about the guest she was bringing home. It eased her worry just a little to know that she was expected.

Suddenly, a troubling thought popped into Blake's head. She asked, "And he does know we're dating, right?"

"Uh, well…" Yang said.

"Yang!" Blake exclaimed. She stopped in her tracks.

"Relax," Yang said. "I've introduced Dad to plenty of boyfriends before. He's always been okay with them. Mostly."

Blake's eyes narrowed. "And what about girlfriends? Has he met any of those?"

Yang scratched the back of her head. "Not really?"

It was official, Blake decided. Coming to Patch had been a terrible idea.

"Oh don't give me that look," Yang said. "Everything'll be fine, right Rubes?"

"Mmm. Maybe," Ruby said.

Blake was not filled with confidence. She supposed turning and running for the hills was still an option, although realistically she knew that she was stuck here all week. Even if there was somewhere else she could stay, there was no way she could afford the price of an airship ticket. Besides, she really wanted to get in out of the cold.

Blake shook her head in exasperation and started walking again. The trio of girls reached the house. The front door wasn't locked; Yang just opened it up and let everyone in.

"Guess who's home!" Yang shouted when they'd all stepped inside.

Blake found herself in a cozy living room. There was a cheery fire burning in the fireplace, and the smell of something cooking hung in the air. However, Blake barely had time to observe her new surroundings and soak up the warmth before disaster struck. A pair of yapping dogs, corgis by the look of them, charged into the room.

Ruby threw up her arms and happily shouted, "Eins! Zwei!"

Blake panicked. Her instincts screamed at her to get someplace high. She climbed up the nearest thing she could find, which just happened to be Yang, and shouted, "You didn't tell me you had dogs!"

"Don't like dogs, huh," Yang deadpanned as Blake clung to her.

"No!" Blake shouted.

Both dogs circled around Yang's legs, eager to shower affection on this marvelous new friend that had entered their home.

"Ruby? Can you help me out?" Yang asked.

"Roger!" Ruby said. She clapped her hands. "Eins! Zwei! Come here! Follow me!"

The two dogs reluctantly abandoned their new best friend and followed Ruby out of the room.

"It's safe. You can come down now," Yang said.

Blake cautiously put her feet back on the ground and let go of Yang. She did it just in time too, because a man with blond hair poked his head into the room. "What's all the commotion—Little Dragon!"

"Hiya, Dad!" Yang said.

Yang's father bounded into the room. Apparently, he'd been the one cooking because he had a pink apron on over his clothes. He ran over and gave Yang a big bear hug. "It's so good to have my girls back home! Is your sister here?"

"Yeah, she's taking care of the dogs," Yang said.

Blake quietly watched the family reunion. Yang's father bore a striking resemblance to Yang, right down to the color of his clothes. It was harder for Blake to see Ruby in his looks, but his excited mannerisms were a dead-on match for his younger daughter.

"Wait a minute," Yang's father said. He pushed Yang back and looked her over. "Where is your coat, young lady!?"

"You know I don't need one, Dad," Yang said exasperatedly.

"Just because you can keep yourself warm, doesn't mean you shouldn't have it with you," Yang's father scolded.

"No worries! It's right here," Yang said. She put her hand on Blake's shoulder.

Yang's father looked at Blake like he'd just noticed she was there. "Oh! Is this, uh, the friend you mentioned?" he asked.

Blake nodded respectfully. "It's good to meet you, sir."

Yang said, "I guess I should introduce everyone. Blake, this is Taiyang, my dad. Dad, this is Blake, my girlfriend."

Blake's eyes flicked over to Yang. She hadn't really expected Yang to keep their relationship a secret, but how could Yang say that so casually to her unaware father?

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" Taiyang said. He grabbed Blake's hand and shook it vigorously. "Yang's told me a lot about you."

"Dad, I don't think you heard me," Yang said. "This is Blake, my _girlfriend_."

"I heard. I'm glad you made friends so quickly at your new school."

"No, Dad," Yang said, shaking her head. "Blake's my girlfriend-girlfriend."

"She's…wait, what?"

"We're dating."

"You're…but…"

"And we like each other. A lot."

"But…"

"Sometimes we even kiss."

Blake's cheeks were glowing red with embarrassment, and her heart was hammering in her ears. She really loved how carefree Yang could be, but this didn't seem like something to be so flippant about.

Taiyang looked bewildered, befuddled, and confused. "But I've met your old boyfriends. Were they not really your boyfriends? You didn't have to pretend in front of me."

"No, they were," Yang said. "I like boys."

"But you're dating a girl now."

"I like girls too."

"That's a thing?"

"Of course it's a thing!"

"And it's your thing?"

"Yup."

"This…" Taiyang started. Blake could practically see the wheels in his head turning. She held her breath for what he might say.

Suddenly, Taiyang straightened up. "This changes everything! For starters, the No Boys at Home When I'm Not Here rule applies to girls now too! I don't want any teenager nonsense going on in my house!"

"Dad!" Yang whined. "I turned eighteen last month. I'm an adult now!"

"All the more reason for the rule," Taiyang said.

"This is why I never told you about any of my other girlfriends," Yang muttered.

"Others!?" Taiyang exclaimed.

"Oops."

"You mean Blake here isn't your first?"

"No?"

"But then…all those slumber parties at your friends' houses."

"Well, some of those actually were slumber parties," Yang said sheepishly.

"Oh my poor, sweet daughter!" Taiyang exclaimed.

"Come on, Dad," Yang said. "I never did anything with one of my girlfriends that I didn't do with one of my boyfriends."

Blake assumed that Yang's statement was meant to calm her father down, but it had the exact opposite effect. He started wailing all over again.

"Please don't embarrass me in front of Blake," Yang said.

Taiyang suddenly stopped his antics. His head snapped to Blake, and he said, "Speaking of Miss…uh…"

Blake looked like a deer caught in the headlights, but she automatically supplied, "Belladonna."

"Miss Belladonna. Thank you," Taiyang said. "Are you treating Yang right? What are your intentions for my innocent baby girl?"

Blake decided not to point out that she knew from firsthand experience that "innocent" was not a very good word to describe Yang. She didn't want to be on the receiving end of a veteran huntsman's wrath. Instead, she said, "Yang is very special to me, Mr. Xiao Long. I just want to make her happy."

Blake's gaze drifted over to Yang only to find Yang looking right back at her. Their eyes locked, and Yang smiled at her. It wasn't her usual cocky grin but a genuine, loving smile that Blake had only ever seen Yang give her. It never failed to melt Blake's heart, and this time was no exception. Blake smiled back. Suddenly, she wasn't so nervous anymore.

Blake shook herself out of her trance when she remembered that she was standing in front of Yang's father. When she turned back to Taiyang, however, he had a truly odd expression on his face. It was a mix of eyebrow-raising wonderment, a gleeful grin, and openmouthed shock. Blake didn't dare guess what it meant.

"Well that settles that!" Taiyang said unexpectedly. "I don't know about that 'Mr. Xiao Long' business though. It makes me sound old. How about you call me 'Dad'?"

Blake was stunned. Surely Taiyang couldn't have completely accepted her in the space of two sentences.

"So can I take your coat, er, coats?" Taiyang asked.

Ruby suddenly popped back into the room, having shed her winter coat and hat. She asked, "What was all that shrieking about?"

"Ruby-Roo!" Taiyang cheered. "Come here and give me a hug!"

Ruby ran over to her father and jumped into his waiting arms.

Blake was grateful to have Taiyang's attention off of her. She had no idea what she should be feeling at the moment. Of all the scenarios she'd envisioned for meeting Yang's father, this had not been one of them. She was starting to understand why Yang and Ruby were the way they were.

Yang put her arm around Blake's shoulder. "You doing alright? You look a little overwhelmed."

"I'm fine, actually," Blake said, and to her surprise, it was true. She really wanted to hug Yang right now, but she wasn't sure if that would be appropriate in front of her father.

Yang somehow sensed what Blake wanted and drew her in even closer. Blake watched from the safety of Yang's arms as Ruby and Taiyang chatted animatedly with each other. Maybe it hadn't been such a bad idea to come here after all.

Suddenly, an acrid smell tickled Blake's nose. "Is something burning?" she asked.

"Oh! That's probably lunch," Taiyang said. "I wanted to make something special to celebrate my girls coming home."

A shrill beeping that made Blake's ears twitch started coming from the kitchen. Something in there had set off the fire alarm.

"I, uh, I should go check on that," Taiyang said. He hurried off.

Blake glanced at Yang.

Yang shrugged her shoulders. "He tries," she said.

Frantic clattering, accompanied by a lot of coughing, came from the kitchen.

"He tries really hard," Yang said.

Ruby's eyes lit up. "Someone's going to have to cook while we're here. And you know who's really good at it? Yang!"

"Really?" Blake asked.

"Well yeah," Yang said. "I'm awesome with anything that involves fire."

"Of course," Blake said with a chuckle.

"So?" Ruby prompted Yang.

"So what?" Yang asked.

"You know what," Ruby said. "You should cook for Blake!"

"I'm sure Dad would be happy to do it," Yang said.

"Yang, please?" Ruby said, unleashing her puppy dog eyes.

Yang grimaced. She turned to Blake for support, but that proved to be a mistake. Blake was intrigued by the idea of Yang cooking. Blake may not have had Ruby's talent for pleading looks, but she found that a patient, unwavering stare usually got Yang to do what she wanted her to do.

"Alright," Yang conceded. "I'll make dinner tonight."

"Yay!" Ruby cheered.

"Traitor," Yang teasingly accused Blake.

Blake just chuckled.

"Lunch is ready!" Taiyang called out from the kitchen.

Yang said, "Oh boy. Here we go."

* * *

 _Author's Note: Believe it or not this story was supposed to be just a one-shot. Somehow it managed to completely get away from me and turned into a three chapter novelette. I guess this is the season for being generous, even if it's accidental._

 _Now that Volume 4 is out, it's pretty clear that the Rose-Xiao Long family only has one dog, but I decided to give them two in this story, just because I think it's funnier that way. Don't tell Blake that it was my idea. She might kill me. And of course the weekend before I post this story, the show introduces Blake's parents. I think was I've written about her having nowhere to go still makes sense within the context of canon though. At least, I hope it does._

 _Speaking of Volume 4, I'm live blogging it over on my tumblr (electronicyarn)! Come and find out how many more of my predictions turn out to be dead wrong!_

 _Constructive criticism is always welcome, so please feel free to review or comment. If you want to be notified of updates or send me a message, you can find me on tumblr under the name electronicyarn._


	2. Hope in Unexpected Places

**Chapter 2: Hope in Unexpected Places**

After lunch had ended, Blake finally found herself with a free moment. Ruby had gone off to check on the dogs, and Yang and her father were busy cleaning up the kitchen from Taiyang's attempt at cooking. Blake was fairly certain that he'd been trying to make grilled cheese sandwiches, although they'd ended up more closely resembling charcoal.

While Yang and her father dithered about in the kitchen, Blake wandered back into the living room. This was her first opportunity to really take in the house. Her instinct was to find all the exits and other avenues of escape. It was a habit she'd picked up in the White Fang. Back in those days, she'd never known when danger was about to strike. Always having an escape route was paramount. However, such precautions probably weren't necessary here. Anyone looking for trouble in this house would have to deal with a professional huntsman and three huntresses-in-training.

The living room, like the rest of the house, was small, although it managed not to feel cramped. The fire in the fireplace was still going, making the room all the more cozy on this cold winter's day. The furniture was worn from use, but still well maintained. Holiday decorations were everywhere. Whoever had put them up had been very enthusiastic and hadn't cared one bit about coordinating colors or themes.

All in all, Blake found the room to be ridiculously quaint. She almost couldn't believe it was real. Places like this only existed in the pages of a hokey, feel-good children's book, not in real life. But Blake couldn't refute the evidence of her own eyes. This house did exist, and Blake could feel the love and caring that permeated every last nook and cranny.

The very palpable sense of safety that this house emanated was almost beyond Blake's comprehension. Yet this was the house that Yang had lived her whole life in. She'd never know anything other than this. Blake had to stop and wonder if this was what it was like to be a human.

Blake had thought she'd tasted life as a human during her time at Beacon, but now she saw that she'd done nothing of the sort. Bow or no bow, the fact remained that she was not human. The inescapable fear that all faunus knew had never left her. All she'd done was trade in the fear of persecution for the fear of getting caught in her deception.

A dark expression crossed Blake's face. She knew that she'd never really know the kind of life this house represented, no matter how badly she wanted it. And after all the things she'd done in the name of faunus equality, she probably didn't deserve it either.

Suddenly, a bright voice cut through the gloom in Blake's head. "Hey there, sexy!"

Blake turned as saw Yang standing in the doorway that led to the kitchen. Just seeing Yang's sunny smile was enough to make Blake feel better. It never failed to amaze her how Yang could cheer her up without even trying.

Yang sauntered over to a loveseat sitting in front of the fireplace and plopped down in it. She patted the cushion next to her.

Blake smiled at the invitation. She walked over at sat next to Yang. Yang immediately put her arm around Blake and drew her close. Blake rested her head on Yang's shoulder. She breathed in deeply and took in Yang's wonderful scent. It was like citrus and sunshine mixed with a hint of gunpowder.

Even before Blake and Yang had started dating, Yang had been a very touchy-feely kind of girl. It had taken all of three days before Yang and Weiss had almost come to blows over it. Apparently, Weiss did not like to be touched.

Blake was ashamed to admit that she'd also been put off at first by Yang's hands-on approach to friendship. Before Yang, no human had ever touched her in a manner that could be called kind or gentle. She could vividly recall the sneers of contempt that many a tormenter had given her while they tugged mercilessly on her ears. It made Blake sick if she thought about it too much.

It hadn't taken long for Blake to warm up to Yang's touches, however. And now that they were dating, Blake was practically addicted to them. She craved the feeling of Yang's hands on her like nothing else.

"So, what do you think of our place?" Yang asked.

"It's nice," Blake said.

"Glad you came?" Yang asked.

"Yes," Blake sighed happily. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Hey, why wouldn't I?" Yang asked. "If I'd known you didn't have anywhere to go, I'd of done it sooner."

"Your father seemed awfully eager to make me feel at home during lunch," Blake said.

"He loves having company over," Yang said. "You know, maybe we should make this a regular thing. You coming here for the holidays."

"Are you sure that'd be okay?" Blake asked.

"I don't see why not," Yang said. "Ruby likes you. Dad too, obviously."

"What about you?" Blake asked.

"You know how I feel," Yang said.

Blake lifted her head off of Yang's shoulder. A line of worry crossed her face. "I like to hear you say it."

Yang laughed, but Blake knew it was to cover up her sudden nervousness. Her eyes avoided Blake's gaze. Yang could charge down a goliath without fear, she could make a joke about anything without caring what other people thought, but she always had trouble talking about her feelings like this. In fact, she got downright shy when Blake forced the issue.

Blake hated putting Yang on the spot, but this was something she was very worried about. Yang had a long dating history. In her first semester at Beacon alone, she'd managed to squeeze in a boyfriend and then a girlfriend before she'd started dating Blake. One of Blake's greatest fears, rational or not, was that she'd end up being just another notch on Yang's belt. Yang had become so important to her in such a frighteningly short amount of time that she didn't know what she'd do if Yang ever left her.

"Yang?" Blake said. She waited until Yang looked at her. "I love you."

Yang's eyes soften. "I…I love you too," she managed.

Blake wasn't sure how mollified she felt, but then Yang leaned in and kissed her sweetly on the lips. Blake's eyes fluttered closed. At least while Yang was kissing her, she could set aside all her doubts. There was so much tenderness on Yang's lips. Blake drank it all in, letting it soothe her heart.

Yang pulled back. There was a glimmer in her eye now, and a grin on her lips. Blake knew that look. It meant she was about to get showered with fiery kisses.

"But—" Blake tried to get out as Yang's lips began assaulting her in the most delightful way. "—your father!"

Yang paused. "Oh, it's okay," she said with a wink. "He just left to go buy all the stuff I need for dinner. He'll be gone for at least an hour."

"In that case," Blake said, "you'd better kiss me again."

"Now you're talking," Yang said.

This time Blake fully embraced Yang's lips. One of the only downsides of this house was that it'd didn't provide a lot of privacy. Blake was more than happy to steal away as many moments like this as she could.

Suddenly, there was a crash, followed by a thud and the bang of a door slamming open. From somewhere else in the house, Ruby wailed, "Doggies, no!"

Blake shot to her feet, taking Yang up with her. It was only a second before two barking dogs invaded the living room.

Blake leaped into Yang's arms. Fortunately, Yang had the wherewithal to catch her. Blake shouted, "What are they doing in here!?"

Ruby came charging in after the dogs, shouting, "Eins! Zwei! Bad dogs! Stop scaring Blake!"

Ruby started chasing the dog and all three of them ended up running in circles around Yang and Blake. Yang let out a belly laugh, apparently finding the whole display hilarious.

"Yang!" Blake shouted.

"Don't worry, Blake," Yang said. "I'll save you from the big, bad dogs!"

* * *

By the time the dogs had been calmed down and an uneasy truce had been struck between them and Blake, it was getting close to dinnertime. Taiyang had returned home, bearing the fruits of his shopping trip, and Yang had already gone to the kitchen to fulfill her promise of cooking dinner.

Blake, Ruby, and Taiyang were all lounging around in the living room. Blake was listening to the symphony of clattering coming from the kitchen. She asked, "Is all that noise…normal?"

Ruby answered, "For Yang, yeah. She really goes all out when she cooks. That's why she's so awesome at it!"

Taiyang stood and said, "Well, Ruby-Roo, we should go do our part and set the table."

"Okay," Ruby said, standing as well.

"Would you like my help?" Blake asked.

"There's no need," Taiyang said. "You're a guest in this house."

"I still wouldn't mind helping out," Blake said. She wasn't entirely comfortable with the fact that she was essentially a freeloader right now.

"Don't worry," Taiyang said. "There'll be plenty for you to do when you become part of the family."

"When I…what?" Blake asked, flummoxed. What had Taiyang meant by that?

Unfortunately, Taiyang and Ruby had already disappeared into the dining room before Blake could ask for an explanation. Ever since Taiyang had learned about her and Yang's relationship, he seemed to be making certain assumptions about the future. Blake didn't know if she should feel encourage or concerned about that. It was probably best not to think about it.

Blake got up from her seat. She decided to go check on Yang. When she walked into the kitchen, she was surprised to find the kitchen's meager counter space was crammed full of cooking utensils, oils, a vast array of spices, and all kinds of other ingredients. Ruby hadn't been kidding about Yang going all out. No wonder she'd been reluctant to make dinner; this looked like a lot of work.

Blake said, "If you're trying to impress me, it's working."

"I don't do things halfway," Yang said. She turned and winked suggestively at Blake. "But you already know that, don't you, Blakey?"

Blake felt her cheeks flush. A few inappropriate thoughts flashed through her head. No doubt that had been Yang's goal.

Yang's attire, while not risqué by any means, was not helping Blake think pure thoughts. Yang had pulled her mane of hair back into a ponytail, which exposed her tempting and all too kissable neck. She'd discarded her jacket and had put on the very same apron that her father had been wearing a few hours earlier. Blake had no idea why Yang looking domestic was so arousing, but it really was. She'd have to contemplate that later.

Blake knew that peppering her girlfriend with kisses probably wasn't a good idea right now, but that didn't mean she couldn't get a little closer. When she stepped forward, however, a heavenly scent wafted past her nose. She looked at the counter next to Yang and saw a small bucket filled with fresh tuna on ice.

Blake's mouth began to water. Those fish were the second most tempting thing she'd seen today besides Yang. And unlike Yang, the fish didn't have a father around to raise a fuss about preserving his child's supposed innocence.

Blake slyly glanced at Yang. She was fiddling with the stovetop's temperamental lighter. Blake smirked impishly. While Yang was distracted, she slunk toward the fish with perfectly silent footsteps. Her hand reached out for her prize, only for a wooden spoon to rap her on the wrist.

Blake yelped in surprise. She pulled her hand back and looked up to see Yang grinning at her, spoon in hand.

"No free samples!" Yang teased. "You're going to have to wait for dinner just like everyone else."

Blake pouted at Yang.

"You're cute when you do that," Yang said.

Blake was about to respond when Taiyang walked into the room. "The table's all set," he said. "I told Ruby to go set up the cot in her room for tonight. Blake, you're the guest, so you can use Yang's bed. She'll take the cot."

"If Blake's using my bed, why don't we put the cot in my room?" Yang asked.

"Why would we need to do that?" Taiyang asked.

"Oh. Uh, no reason. Never mind!" Yang said.

Taiyang eyed his daughter suspiciously, but he let the issue drop. Instead, he asked, "Do you need help with dinner?"

"I got it, Dad," Yang said.

"Maybe I can chop some veggies," Taiyang offered. He reached for a knife lying on the counter.

Yang batted her father's hand away with her ever reliable wooden spoon. "I got it. Blake? Why don't you…?"

Yang turned to Blake only to see her with her hand halfway to the bucket of fish. Blake quickly stepped back and tried to look innocent.

Unaware, Taiyang started to suggest, "Well maybe we could both—"

"Alright! Both of you out of the kitchen!" Yang said. She grabbed Blake and her father by their arms and pulled them toward the door.

"But—" Taiyang protested feebly.

"I—" Blake tried to say.

Yang said, "This'll be a good opportunity for you two to get to know each other better."

"I supposed you're right," Taiyang finally relented.

Blake looked at Yang, silently expressing her concern, but all she got back from Yang was an insisting look. She knew she wouldn't find any mercy from her girlfriend after she got caught twice trying to steal her cooking ingredients.

Reluctantly, Blake followed Taiyang into the dining room. She had no idea what she was going to talk about. She'd spent a whole semester trying to prevent people from getting to know her. Taiyang had been very welcoming so far, but she didn't think he was ready for the whole truth about who she'd been.

Taiyang took a seat at the dining room table. Blake would have rather stood, but she felt obliged to sit as well. The table was just big enough for four. All of the place settings on it were crowded tightly together, and Blake likewise felt uncomfortably close to Taiyang.

Taiyang looked at Blake in silence. His expression was very open, much like Yang's always was. He was clearly studying Blake, but there wasn't an ounce of judgment on his face; he was simply curious.

Taiyang said, "Yang's a good kid, don't you think?"

Blake was surprised. She'd thought that she was about to be the topic of conversation, but she was more than happy to talk about Yang instead. "She's been very good to me. She decided to be my friend when I didn't know how badly I needed one."

"I figured it was something like that," Taiyang said. "You don't have to tell me anything, but I'm willing to bet you've been through a lot."

Blake blinked in surprise. "Why do you say that?"

"I don't know." Taiyang shrugged. "You just have one of those looks, you know? It seems like you got through whatever it was okay, though."

"Yes. I suppose," Blake said. The longer she spent with Taiyang the more she was perplexed by him. He was clueless and insightful in equal measure. It was just bizarre.

"It's rare that you find someone who makes you truly happy, you know," Taiyang said. "You've got to take the opportunity when it comes along."

"That's…true," Blake said, not sure where Taiyang was going with this.

"Plus you and Yang are both going to be huntresses. That'll make a lot of things easier," Taiyang said. He gave Blake a big smile. "I never thought I'd have a daughter-in-law."

Blake's eyebrows shot up. "Wha—?"

Taiyang completely ignored Blake and said, "My daughter thinks very highly of you, you know. Besides Ruby, you were always the first thing she talked about whenever she called me from Beacon. That first week she really talked my ear off about her new partner."

"But…really?" Blake asked. Yang had hardly known her back then. "What did she say about me?"

"Mostly she talked about how great you two fought together," Taiyang said.

Blake might have guessed. Although she couldn't deny that she and Yang had just kind of clicked as partners. Almost from day one, they'd figured out how to complement each other on the battlefield.

"She also said that she was going to be your new best friend," Taiyang said.

"She did?" Blake asked. The first day she'd met Yang, Yang had dismissed her out of hand as hopeless, and probably rightly so based on how she'd acted. She wondered what had changed Yang's mind so quickly.

"I guess she was right about that." Taiyang laughed. "Because, well, you know. I guess in hindsight it should've been pretty obvious that you two were dating."

"You don't seem upset that Yang didn't tell you," Blake said.

"I'm not really," Taiyang said. "Although I don't know why Yang felt like she had to keep it a secret."

"I'm glad she let you in on it. I didn't want to have to hide something that important from you," Blake said. The moment the words left her mouth, it struck her that she was hiding something important from Taiyang. Her bow suddenly felt like it was chafing against her ears.

"I'm glad too," Taiyang said. "I want my daughter to share her life with me, and I know you're going to be a very big part of it."

"I hope so," Blake said. She kept her tone neutral, but inside her guts were churning. She wondered if Taiyang would feel the same way if he knew even the slightest thing about her past. Although, if he was anything like his daughter, maybe he would. Even after Yang had learned about everything that Blake had done, she hadn't cared. It still astounded Blake how unconditional Yang's friendship and adoration were.

Blake wondered if she really even deserved Yang. It was something she thought about often. Yang had her whole life in front of her, and Blake didn't know if she could truly be a part of it. Blake's plan after graduating from Beacon had been to fight the grimm until the day one of them managed to kill her. It was a dismal prospect, but she'd accepted it. It would be her penance for her many sins. Yang just didn't fit into a future like that.

"Uh, are you okay?" Taiyang asked. "You look a little broody."

Blake was surprised. She didn't think she'd been betraying her emotions. She said, "I'm fine."

"You do want to be part of my daughter's life, don't you?" Taiyang asked.

That was the question that everything hinged on, Blake realized. The answer came to her in a heartbeat. "Yes. More than anything."

"Then whatever you're worried about, don't worry about it!" Taiyang said.

"I'm not sure I can. There are…complication."

"They'll work themselves out."

"How can you be sure?"

"I'm not so old that I've forgotten what it's like to be in love," Taiyang said. Then he pointedly asked, "And you are in love, aren't you?"

"I…" Blake stammered. Surely she hadn't given that away! What was it about people named Xiao Long that made them so good at reading her? She finally said, "Yes. I am."

"I'm not going to tell you that everything will be perfect. Because…" Taiyang trailed off. His face darkened momentarily. "What I'm trying to say is, if you're in love, you should let yourself be in love. It's the most wonderful thing in the world. Hold on to it for all it's worth."

"I'll do my best," Blake said. She softly added, "If that's what Yang wants too."

"If you're worried about my daughter's feelings, don't be," Taiyang said.

"What do you mean?" Blake asked.

"I know Yang pretty well, uh, mostly anyway," Taiyang said. "She's brought a lot of boys home, girls too now that I think about it. But I've never seen her look at anyone the way she looks at you."

"Really?" Blake asked.

"Yup," Taiyang said.

Blake felt some of her worries melt away. She said, "Thank you for telling me that. Dad."

Taiyang actually blushed. "Heh. No problem!"

Suddenly, Yang bellowed from the kitchen, "Dinner's ready!"

Yang walked into the dining room, carrying a serving plate emitting the most appetizing aroma that Blake had ever smelled. Yang glanced at Blake and Taiyang. "Well it looks like you two had a good talk."

"It was good," Blake said.

Ruby scampered into the room. "Oooh, that smells delicious! What'd you make?"

Yang said, "Pan-seared tuna, in honor of our special guest." She set the serving plate down in the middle of the table. There was just enough space for it.

"Great!" Ruby said. "Let's eat!"

Ruby and Yang joined Blake and Taiyang at the table. Drinks were poured, food was served, and everyone dug in.

Blake took a bite of her fish. Everything about it was perfect: the spices, the zest of lime, the way it melted on her tongue. "This is incredible," she practically moaned.

Ruby said, "Doesn't it make you wish Yang would cook every night?"

"Nice try," Yang said. "You're not getting out of doing your fair share."

"I bet Blake could convince you," Ruby mumbled just loud enough to be heard.

The idea was tempting for Blake. She didn't want to use her powers over Yang for evil, but this was really good food.

"That's my Little Dragon!" Taiyang said. "She can slay grimm and cook gourmet meals. Both are excellent qualities for a future wife."

Blake, who was in the middle of taking a drink, almost did a spit take.

"Dad!" Yang scolded.

"I'm just trying to talk you up," Taiyang said.

"Well don't! It's creepy!" Yang said. Then suddenly, a grin spread across her face. She held up a piece of fish on her fork and said, "Although you're right. I am quite a _catch_."

Ruby groaned, Taiyang laughed, and Blake tried her best not to join him. She knew the very second she laughed at a pun, it would all be over.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _I was originally planning on writing Taiyang as a no-one-is-good-enough-for-my-little-girl dad, but Taiyang as a bumbleby-shipper dad turned out to be a lot more fun. Although, he's still not going to put up with any teenager nonsense until after the wedding!_

 _Constructive criticism is always welcome, so please feel free to review or comment. If you want to be notified of updates or send me a message, you can find me on tumblr under the name electronicyarn._


	3. Truth by Night and Truth by Day

**Chapter 3: Truth by Night and Truth by Day**

The snow was still coming down by the time night fell over Patch Island, and the wind had picked up in intensity. Blake found herself alone in Yang's room, getting dressed for bed. She really wished that Yang was there with her, but Taiyang had kept a sharp eye on his oldest daughter until he was certain that she was safely tucked away on the cot in Ruby's room.

Blake slipped on her yukata and fastened the belt loosely around her waist. She reached up to take off her bow, but then she hesitated. She'd worn her bow almost nonstop for so long now that she felt naked without it. Even back at Beacon, surrounded by friends she trusted completely, she'd only recently started taking it off for bed.

Blake knew that the odds of Taiyang walking in on her were practically nonexistent, but she decided to play it safe and keep her ears covered tonight. She didn't want to take the risk of Yang's father finding out that she'd been lying to him.

Blake walked over to the switch on the wall and turned off the lights. The room was plunged into darkness, but thanks to Blake's faunus eyesight, she still saw everything clearly. It was strange for her to be alone in such a personal space. It felt like she was intruding, but she knew that Yang wouldn't mind.

Blake couldn't help but take a look around Yang's room. It was almost exactly what she'd been expecting. Posters for Bands that Blake knew Yang liked covered the walls at haphazard angles. A disorganized set of free weights sat on a stand in one of the corners of the room. Blake suspected that if Yang had still been living here instead of attending Beacon, her stuff would've been scattered about everywhere. Yang was always leaving her things lying around Team RWBY's dorm room, but somehow, she managed to never lose track of anything.

Blake's eyes fell on the dresser. Four framed photographs sitting on top of it caught her attention. Three of them were upright, but the fourth was lying face down.

Curious, Blake padded over to the dresser. One of the photos was of Ruby. It looked like it'd been taken years ago. The second was of Taiyang. The third depicted a silver-eyed woman who bore a striking resemblance to Ruby. Blake presumed her to be Yang and Ruby's mother.

Blake reached out for the fourth photo frame and ran her fingers along its back, leaving a trail in the fine layer of dust that covered it. The photo had obviously been sitting like this for a while. If someone had accidentally knocked it over, they hadn't bothered to set it back upright. Blake's fingers lingered. She really wanted to know who the photo was of, but something about it struck her as intensely private.

Blake withdrew her hand. She knew Yang would tell her about it someday. She could be patient until then.

A strong gust of wind blew outside and rattled the windows. Blake shivered as a chill went down her spine. It was a lot colder in this room than in the rest of the house. There must have been a draft somewhere. Yang probably hadn't even noticed. Blake walked over to the bed and crawled in. She pulled the covers tightly around herself, trying to ward off the chilly night air.

Blake lay there wide awake for a long time, staring up at the ceiling. She'd always had a hard time getting to sleep in an unfamiliar place. She'd had the same problem when she'd started at Beacon. It'd been especially bad that first night she'd spent in her newly-assigned dorm room. Yang was a loud person by nature, and that was true even when she was sleeping. Her snoring had been like a buzz saw running next to Blake's ear.

However, a month into the semester a strange thing had happened. Yang's snoring had become familiar, comforting even. It had gone from an annoyance to a white noise that Blake could use to tune out the troubles of the world.

Blake rolled over onto her side. The pillow smelled like Yang. Blake breathed in deeply and let the scent fill her. It was a small comfort, but a welcome one.

Blake was just beginning to fall asleep when her cat ears twitched underneath her bow. Out in the hallway, she heard the sound of tiptoeing feet. A moment later, the door to the room quietly opened and closed. Blake wasn't alarmed by the sudden intruder. Even from the slight sound of the footfalls, she knew exactly who it was.

Blake heard a soft rustling sound. Then the covers lifted and something wonderfully warm crawled into bed with her, banishing the chill of the winter's night. Blake sighed as a comforting arm wrapped around her, and said, "It took you long enough."

"Sorry," Yang said. "I was waiting for Ruby to fall asleep."

"It's okay, now that you're here," Blake said. She leaned back into Yang and soaked up the soothing heat radiating off of her. Blake's muscle relaxed as they released tension that Blake hadn't realized she'd been holding in.

Yang's leg slipped over Blake's, and she snuggled in close. Blake could tell that Yang was completely naked. That rustling sound she'd heard must have been Yang getting undressed. There was no question about Yang's intentions tonight, and Blake wouldn't have had it any other way.

Yang's hands reached up and grasped the ends of Blake's bow. She pulled out the knot, and the ribbon fell away. Gentle fingers tenderly stroked the velvety fur of Blake's ears. Yang was the only person who Blake let touch her ears. The loving caresses were in such sharp contrast to the cruel tugs of her past tormenters that it took Blake's breath away.

Yang slid Blake's collar down and lavished kisses on Blake's neck. The silent promises of Yang's lips made Blake shiver with anticipation. She still couldn't believe that before Yang, she'd never considered the possibility that she could be attracted to another woman.

From the moment they'd become partners, Yang had never failed to be friendly with Blake. But one day, not long into the semester, Yang's friendliness had transformed into out-and-out flirting. Blake had found herself at a loss as to what to make of it. At first, she'd feigned cluelessness in the hopes that Yang would lose interest. However, Yang hadn't stopped, and Blake soon realized that she didn't want her to. Blake had been at even more of a loss as to what to make of that.

Eventually, Blake had decided not to worry about her confusing new feelings. She'd assumed that they would turn out to be just a passing thing.

Oh how wrong Blake had been. She'd acknowledged, intellectually at least, that Yang was a beautiful woman, and it was undeniable that Yang was a good friend. But neither of those facts had prepared Blake for the moment she'd realized that she yearned for Yang's company and acceptance more than anyone else's, or for when she'd looked at Yang and recognized the desire filling her for what it really was.

When Yang had finally asked Blake out on an actual date, Blake couldn't have said yes fast enough.

Blake hadn't intended her relationship with Yang to become physical quite as quickly as it had, and she was fairly certain that Yang hadn't either. Things had just kind of happened, and Blake was glad that they had. She was certainly no virgin, but all of her past encounters paled in comparison to what Yang made her feel. She wasn't sure if it was just the genuine friendship and respect she and Yang shared that made the difference, or if she wasn't actually attracted to men. She supposed it didn't really matter either way; she never wanted to be with anyone other than Yang ever again.

Yang's hand slipped into Blake's yukata and gently pulled it open. Blake shuddered as Yang lovingly explored her body, touching her, teasing her, and setting her skin alight with desire.

"Yang…" Blake whispered, her breath catching.

"I'm here for you," Yang said.

* * *

Blake let Yang's arm pull her into an embrace as the two of them lay next to each other. There was a dazed and dreamy look on Yang's face, and Blake couldn't help but feel a little bit of pride knowing that she'd put it there. She rested her head on Yang's shoulder and snuggled in close. Moments like this were so magical that she kept expecting herself to wake up and discover that it had all been a dream.

Blake's eyes drifted closed as she and Yang enjoyed the stillness around them. The warmth radiating from Yang was slowly lulling her to sleep.

"Blake?" Yang said, softly dispelling the silence. "You know I love you, right?"

The smallness in Yang's voice made Blake's eyes open. She glanced up at Yang and was shocked to see worry etched on Yang's face.

"Of course I know," Blake reassured Yang.

"No," Yang said, looking into Blake's eyes. "I mean, really love you. Like want-to-spend-the-rest-of-my-life-with-you love you."

Blake's heart skipped a beat. "Yang…" she said.

"I'm sorry I have such a hard time saying it. It's just…no one's ever made me feel this way before, and I don't know how to deal with it sometimes," Yang said.

"No one?" Blake asked. "But…"

"No one," Yang said. "Just please tell me you'll never leave me."

Blake felt tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She'd never seen Yang so emotionally vulnerable before, and it touched her deeply. "I'll never leave you," she said. "I promise."

"Thanks, Blake," Yang said. Her arms tightened around Blake like she never wanted to let go.

"Yang?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you the same way."

* * *

When the sun came rudely streaming in through the window the next morning, Blake ignored it. When Yang stirred next to her, she ignored that too. Unfortunately, she couldn't ignore it when Yang loudly said, "Gooooood morning Blakey!"

"Mngh," Blake mumbled. It was as articulate as she could be first thing in the morning.

"Time to get up!" Yang said. "We have to get to the kitchen before Dad tries to make breakfast!"

"Mmmph," Blake said.

Suddenly, the covers were thrown back and two strong hands pulled Blake out of bed. Blake's legs reluctantly held her up, but her eyes didn't really open.

"Whoops. Better put this on," Yang said. Blake felt her yukata being thrown around her shoulders. Yang's hands guided her arms into the sleeves and then fastened the belt.

"Come on!" Yang said. She took Blake's hand.

Blake followed automatically behind Yang. Once they were out in the hallway, she heard Taiyang say, "Good morning you two!"

If Blake's eyes had been open, she would have rolled them. It was already bad enough how lively Yang was right after waking up. Now she had two morning people to deal with.

"Morning Dad!" Yang said. "Sounds like Ruby's already in the kitchen."

Blake found herself being led down the hallway. She smelled bacon cooking.

"Morning, Rubes," Yang said once they'd reached the kitchen.

"Morning," Ruby said. "Coffee's on. I boiled some water for Blake's tea."

"Great! Thanks," Yang said.

Blake was finally starting to wake up a little when Yang pressed a hot cup of tea into her hands.

Taiyang asked, "Is there something wrong with Blake?"

"Naw, she's fine," Yang said. "Just don't try talking to her until she's had her third cup."

"Hmm," Blake said as she took a sip.

"Oh, okay," Taiyang said.

There was a moment of silence, but then Taiyang suddenly exclaimed, "Wait just a minute! Something's not right here!"

Blake's ears twitched from the noise. Her groggy brain tried to figure out what Taiyang was talking about. Then she realized that she wasn't wearing her bow.

Blake's head snapped up and she saw that Taiyang was looking right at her. Panic woke her up like a slap to the face.

Yang must have figured it out too, because she said, "Oh! Yeah, uh, we were going to tell you that Blake's a faunus. Honest."

"What?" Taiyang said. His eyes drifted up to Blake's ears. "Oh. She is. That's not important! Don't try to distract me! You both came out of the same bedroom this morning. I hope you have a good explanation, young lady!"

"Uh…" Yang said dumbly.

"Don't worry, Dad," Ruby said. "Yang slept on the cot last night. She just went into her room this morning to wake Blake up."

"Oh! Yeah! That's right," Yang said. "Right, Blake?"

Blake glanced at Ruby who gave her a sly thumbs up. "Yes. That's right," she said.

"Well…good," Taiyang said. "Just so long as there's no teenager nonsense going on. Now, let's eat breakfast! I'm starving!"

Ruby scooped up all the bacon she'd been cooking with a spatula and deposited it onto a waiting plate. "Breakfast is ready! To the dining room!"

"Yeah!" Yang agreed.

Taiyang, Ruby, and Yang all started heading to the dining room, but Blake remained in place. Yang glanced back at her. "You coming?"

Blake wasn't sure if she was truly awake enough to process what had just happened, but she was almost certain that it'd been amazing. "He really doesn't care that I'm a faunus," she said.

"I told you he wouldn't. We can talk about it later if you want, but if we don't go eat right now, Dad and Ruby will take it all. So…breakfast?" Yang offered Blake her hand.

"Yeah," Blake said, taking Yang's hand. "Breakfast would be good."

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _Happy holidays everyone! I hope that no matter your situation, this December leaves you a little happier than it found you. In case I don't see you guys before then, have a great start to 2017!_

 _I'm still live blogging Volume 4 over on my tumblr (electronicyarn). If for some reason you're not preoccupied with family or whatnot, come join me and see what all the fuss is about!_

 _Constructive criticism is always welcome, so please feel free to review or comment. If you want to be notified of updates or send me a message, you can find me on tumblr under the name electronicyarn._


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